Although this sentence is simple, the ancient and modern annotations can be described as varied and dazzling. Cut the gossip and listen to my explanation directly.
Refers to, is a finger, this meaning is known to all. Poverty refers to describing fingers. It's not like burning fingers for firewood. Zhuangzi is an enlightened person and a Taoist, so he wouldn't be so naive. It means your fingers are busy. You are too busy. Why are your fingers busy?
Because fingers are paid. I don't know what this means. This action is the action of the finger, the meaning of transmission. Wages are firewood. So, the meaning of this sentence is vividly portrayed.
Fingers rushed to pass firewood. This refers to the true meaning of working poverty. Why are you doing this? The next sentence gives the answer.
The fire spread. This is the purpose of transferring firewood with your fingers. Let the fire continue to burn. So this biography means inheritance. Let the fire continue to burn.
Then look at the end.
I don't know the meaning of a sentence. Who will die? Many people think that the fire is going out, which is obviously not the case. The firewood is sometimes used up. I wonder when the firewood is used up.
In this way, the whole sentence is translated as follows: fingers are endlessly passing firewood in order to keep the fire burning, but they don't know when the firewood will be used up.
This is a literal translation. What does Zhuang Zi want to explain? Combining the opening sentence of Zhuangzi's Master of Health, we will suddenly realize that Zhuangzi is echoing the opening sentence.
My life is limited, but so is my knowledge. With restrictions, there is no restriction, and it is almost there!
It turns out that firewood is a limited life, and so is my life. And fire refers to infinite knowledge, and knowledge is boundless. Burning a fire with firewood means there is no end. In this way, the translation of this sentence is very clear and correct.
It can be said that the interpretation of this sentence is rare at all times!